WDDO announces ‘hybrid’ conference April 8-9

PHOTO: DAVID LATIMER

Based in Vincent, Ala., the World Detector Dog Organization (WDDO) has finalized its speakers for its 15th annual conference, taking place both in-person — and for the first time, with a virtual option via the Zoom platform — April 8-9, 2021. Classes will be archived online for all attendees to access for 30 days after the event. WDDO Founder, Chairman and Master Trainer David Latimer is an online columnist for Pest Management Professional magazine.

“Due to pandemic travel restrictions, many of our international members, as well as state-side members, won’t be able to make the conference in-person this year,” Guy Aumend, president of WDDO, said in a news release. “Having a hybrid event platform available made the most sense.”

WDDO VP Julie Anne Smith noted in the news release that the speaker lineup “covers everything from the basics to the advanced, and will benefit all handlers, no matter what their target odor.”

Speakers and topics include:

• Dr. Carla Simon, MD, BSc, MBA: Backchaining A Game Changer with a Toy to Train Scent Detection
• Master Trainer and Fire Investigator David Latimer: Learned Helplessness: Is your K9 Watching You?
• Animal Behavioralist Ann Waterbury, CPDT-KA, CNWI, UW-AAB, CDBC: Human Perception for Canine Detection
• FSI K9 Trainer James Latimer: Sit, Stay, Leave It: Would Your K9 Pass?
• Fire Investigator Guy Aumend: Fire Dogs: Sniffing the Ashes
• K9 Trainer and Handler Deanna Sparks Kjorlien, ACE: Value of K9s in Assessment Pest Management (Continuing education units are available in some states for this class)

Speakers and the annual meeting will take place in Vincent at WDDO headquarters on April 8-9, with in-person certification testing taking place April 10. Early-bird tickets are $25 for WDDO members and $40 for non-members until March 31; after April 1 it is $50 for WDDO members and $65 for non-members. Ticket purchases and more information can be found online here.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/03/19/wddo-announces-hybrid-conference-april-8-9/
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